GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University men's basketball team got back to its winning ways with a 65-59 victory over Rutgers-Newark on Saturday evening.
 
It was Senior Night and guards DaRon Curry (sr. Deptford, NJ/Phelps School (PA)), Rob DePersia (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Haddonfield Mem.) and Nick DePersia (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Haddonfield Mem.); guard/forward Ramon Wright (sr. Newark, NJ/Irvington) and forward Teirique Robinson (sr. Willingboro, NJ/Willingboro) were honored before the game.
 
The Profs are 18-6 overall and 12-5 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.  Rowan secured the second seed in the conference tournament and will receive a first round bye on Saturday, Feb. 16.  The Profs end the regular season at Kean University on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m.  The Scarlet Raiders have a 13-11 record with a 6-11 conference mark.  
 
Rob DePersia led Rowan with 18 points and he was eight for 10 from the free throw line.  Curry contributed with 16 points and Wright followed with 12.  Wright also had five rebounds and two blocks.  Nick DePersia chipped in with nine points and guard Connor Dickerson (fr. Marlton, NJ/Moorestown) grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
 
For Rutgers-Newark, guard Quincy Rutherford (so. Harrison, NJ/Eastern Christian) totaled 14 points and seven rebounds.  Guard Chase Barneys (jr. Woodbridge, NJ/Colonia) collected 12 points and eight boards.  Guard Tyler Ofray (sr. Newark, NJ/Church Farm School (PA)) added nine points and nine rebounds.  
 
The Profs led the entire first half.  They had a lead of 13 points (18-5) after center Diante Bah (jr. Mount Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) had a foul shot at 14:06.  Rutgers-Newark followed with a 13-4 run to pull within four (22-18) with 8:05 remaining.  Rutherford scored six of the 13 points.
 
Barneys (4:29) and guard Xavier Townes (fr. Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Mem.) produced back-to-back layups to trail by one (24-23) at 3:12.  Curry nailed three-pointers at 2:45 and 2:02 while in between the Scarlet Raiders had a free throw.  Rowan was ahead 30-24.  Townes made the last basket of the half (0:44) and the Profs were up 30-26 at the break.
 
Rutgers-Newark tied the score four times in the final stanza.  The last one was at 45 (11:36) with a layup by Rutherford.  Rowan then had six straight points (51-45) with 7:05 remaining.  Dickerson contributed three points, Rob DePersia added two and Wright had a free throw. The Scarlet Raiders cut the deficit to two (51-49) after two points at the line by guard Mike Vick (so. Maplewood, NJ/East Brunswick).  Rob DePersia followed with a three-point play (4:41) and score was 54-49.  
 
Rutgers- Newark then trailed by three points three times.  The last was 57-54 (2:04) after a free throw by Vick.  Curry hit a jumper (1:54) and Rob DePersia sank two fouls shots (0:50) and a layup (0:33), which made the score 63-54.  Rob DePersia had two more free throws at the 11 second mark and Ofray drilled a three with six seconds left to end the game.